Casing adapted to accommodate and transport bottles

ABSTRACT

The casing of this invention comprises a combination of an outer member of wood and an inner member of a synthetic resin. The outer member comprises at least one bottom plate and upright transverse side boards fastened to the opposite ends of the bottom plate or plates, and the inner member comprises a pair of longitudinal side plates and a plurality of longitudinal and transverse partition plates intersecting each other at right angles to define substantially square openings for accomodating the bottles. The longitudinal side plates and the longitudinal and transverse partition plates of the inner member are formed as an integral structure, and the inner member is then nested in the outer member between its transverse side boards.

United States Patent Nudeshima et al.

[ Sept. 10, 1974 CASING ADAPTED T0 ACCOMMODATE 3,368,709 2/1968 Waller 220/21 AND TRANSPORT BOTTLES FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS lnventorsr lchiro Nudeshima, Iida; Daisaku 1,501,911 9/1966 France 217/40 Nudeshima, Fujisawa, both of Japan 73 Assignee: Mitsubishi Kasei Kogyo Kabushiki Primary Examiner-Robert J Spar Kaisha, a/k/a Mitsubishi Chemical Assistant Exam1nerKenneth Noland Industries Limited Tokyogro, Attorney, Agent, or Firm0blon, Fisher, Sp1vak, Japan McClelland & Maier [22] FIIed: Aug. 16, 1973 [57] ABSTRACT [21] Appl. No.: 388,751 The casing of this invention comprises a combination of an outer member of wood and an inner member of [30] Foreign Application Pri it D t a synthetic resin. The outer member comprises at least Aug 21 1972 Japan 47 96784 one bottom plate and upright transverse side boards fastened to the opposite ends of the bottom plate or I plates, and the inner member comprises a pair of lon- [52] U 8 Cl 217/19 2 k gitudinal side plates and a plurality of longitudinal and [51] Int Cl 365d 15/24 transverse partition plates intersecting each other at [58] Field o i s iii-lii jfff 222/13 48.148 5- right angles to define ially quare openings for 2l7/4O 19 26 22'O/97 R B 22 accomodating the bottles. The longitudinal side plates and the longitudinal and transverse partition plates of [56] References Cited the inner member are formed as an integral structure, and the inner member is then nested in the outer UNITED STATES PATENTS member between its transverse side boards. 3,029,970 4/1962 Brandon 217/19 3,240,378 3/1966 Fox 217/19 6 Chums, 6 Drawing Figures I L 4b PATENTEDSEP 1 01924 SHEET 1 0F 2 FIG.

FIIG.3

PAIENIEUSEH 01914 3' 8,3 574 SHEUEUFZ CASING ADAPTED TO ACCOMMODATE AND TRANSPORT BOTTLES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a casing adapted to accommodate and transport a dozen or a'plurality of dozens of bottles containing a refreshing drink, an alcoholic beverage or the like.

Heretofore, such casings have been made of wood or a synthetic resin. In the former construction, wherein a wood material is used, the weight of the casing is increased by absorption of moisture. In addition, the grid shaped partition frame contained in the casing often is damaged during use because it is also made of wood, and such damage of the frame usually in turn causes damage of the bottles therein.

Where the casing and the partition frame is made of a synthetic resin, it is possible to decrease the weight of the casing and to elongate its useful life. However, when a plurality of casings containing the bottles are piled up one upon the other, the upper casings tend to slide and fall down when they are transported by a vehicle, thus damaging the bottles, because the coefficient of friction between the synthetic resin at the bottom of the casings and the metal caps applied to the bottles is small. Moreover, the rigidity of the casings of synthetic resin is small and the resin sometimes softens and defonns. This also causes damage to the bottles contained in the casing. Additionally, where perforations are formed on the opposite sides of the casing for the purpose of grasping them by hands, sharp edges of the perforations often injure the hands of the operator.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved casing of the type characterized herein which avoids the disadvantages of such casings made of wood and synthetic resin, but retains all of the advantages thereof.

' A further object of this invention is to provide an improved casing for bottles which can prevent dislodgement of the load when a plurality of casings respectively loaded with bottles are piled up one upon the other.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved casing adapted to accommodate bottles which has sufficiently large mechanical strength and stiffness to withstand shocks and vibrations, is relatively light in weight, does not absorb moisture and has long life.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a composite casing that can be fabricated readily and at low cost.

According to this invention, these and further objects can be accomplished by providing a casing adapted to accommodate and transport bottles comprising an outer member of wood and an inner member of a synthetic resin, the outer member including a bottom plate and a pair of upright transverse side boards fastened to the opposite ends of the bottom plate, the inner member including a pair of spaced apart longitudinal side plates and a plurality of longitudinal and transverse partition plates interposed between the side plates, the longitudinal side plates and the longitudinal and transverse partition plates intersecting with each other at right angles and being formed as an integral structure to define therebetween a plurality of openings for accommodating the bottles, and the inner and outer members being fastened together such that the assembly of the longitudinal and transverse partition plates of the inner member is received between the transverse side boards of the outer member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Various other objects, features and attendant advantages of the present invention will be more fully appreciated as the same becomes better understood from the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

FIG. I shows a plan view of a casing embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the casing shown in FIG. 1 taken along a line II-II thereof;

FIG. 3 shows a plan view of the outer member of the casing;

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the outer member shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 shows a plan view of the inner member of the casing; and

FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of the inner member shown in FIG. 5, with the end portions thereof being broken away.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings, the casing of this in.- vention comprises an outer member a made'of wood and an inner member b made of a synthetic resin. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the outer member a comprises a bottom plate or plates 1 of wood construction and two upright transverse side boards 2 of relatively thick wood construction. The side boards 2 are fastened to the bottom plates 1 by suitable fastening means, such as nails or screws, not shown, and are provided with horizontal openings 3 for grasping them with ones hands.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the inner member b comprises relatively thick longitudinal side plates 4 and relatively thin longitudinal and transverse partition plates 5 and 5a, respectively, intersecting each other at right angles to define a plurality of substantially square openings 6 adapted to accommodate bottles 8 containing a refreshing drink, an alcoholic beverage or the like. As shown in FIG. 6, each opening 6 is open at the upper and lower ends and the longitudinal and transverse partition plates 5 and 5a may be notched as at 10 to save material and thereby further reduce the weight of the casing. The longitudinal side plates 4 and the longitudinal and transverse partition plates 5 and 5a are made of a synthetic resin and are formed integrally as by injection moulding. Any one of various synthetic resins may be used, such as, for example, polyolefin resins, such as polyethylene and polypropylene, and copolymers thereof, polystyrene resins, acrylnitrile-styrene resins, acrylonitrile-styrene-butadiene resins, polyvinyl chloride resins, and the like. These plastic materials may be moulded into solid integral member, but it is advantageous to cause them to foam slightly so that the moulded inner member has smooth and not foamed surfaces, but has slightly foamed inner bodies. This construction is advantageous from the standpoint of decreasing the weight and increasing the mechanical strength and flexibility of the member.

As shown in FIG. 1, the outer and inner members a and b are combined to complete the casing of this invention. To this end, distance 1' between the inner surfaces of the longitudinal side plates 4 is made substantially equal to the width 1 of the outer member a and the length 1" of the side plates 4 is made substantially equal to the length 1" of the outer member a. Furthermore, the transverse partition plates 501 on the opposite ends of the inner member b are positioned close to the inner surfaces of the upright side boards 2 when the inner member b is nested in the outer member a, as shown in FIG. 1. As a result, the opposite ends 4a, 4b, 4c and 4d of the side plate 4 protrude beyond the transverse partition plates Sa on the opposite ends by a length substantially equal to the thickness of the side boards 2. After assembly, the inner and outer members are fastened together by any suitable means, such as, for example, screws 7, steel bands, not shown, or an adhesive.

As described herein, the invention provides a casing for accommodating and transporting bottles comprising a combination of an outer member of wood and an inner member of a synthetic resin. Since the inner member is made of synthetic resin, preferably foamed resin, it is light, stiff and does not absorb moisture, so that its weight is not increased during use. Moreover, since the inner member is an integral structure, it has a sufficiently large mechanical strength and can be made by a simple process such as injection moulding. As the longitudinal and transverse partition plates can be made sufficiently thin, they have a degree of flexibility so that they can withstand shocks and vibrations imparted thereto during use. This advantageous merit can be enhanced when the inner member is partially foamed as previously described. Since the outer member a is made of wood it can be fabricated very readily, as for example, by means of screws, nails or like fastening means. The coefficient of friction between the bottom plates 1 and the metal caps of the bottles 8 is larger than that between a plastic plate and the metal caps, so that it is possible to decrease the tendency of lateral skidding when a plurality of casings loaded with bottles are piled up. In addition, as it is easy to smoothly finish the openings 3, there is no fear of injuring the fingers of the operator. if desired, the gap between the upright side boards 2 and the outermost lateral partition plates may be made larger than that shown in FIG. 1, to facilitate grasping. In the case shown in FIG. 2, the outermost transverse partition plates 5a are formed with openings 3a contiguous to openings 3 to receive an operators hands. The outer member not only supports the load but also reinforces the inner member so that even when the inner member is deformed due to a rise in the ambient temperature, there is no fear of dislodgement.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of these teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by letters patent of the United States is:

l. A casing adapted to accommodate and transport bottles comprising:

an outer member of wood having at least one bottom plate and a pair of upright transverse side boards fastened to the opposite ends of said at least one bottom plate;

an inner member of a synthetic resin having a pair of spaced apart longitudinal side plates and a plurality of longitudinal and transverse partition plates interposed between said side plates, said longitudinal side plates and said longitudinal and transverse partition plates intersecting each other at substantially right angles and being formed as an integral structure to define therebetween a plurality of openings for accommodating said bottles; and

said inner and outer members being fastened together such that the assembly of said longitudinal and transverse partition plates of said inner member is received between said transverse side boards of said outer member; and

wherein the opposite ends of said longitudinal side plates protrude beyond the assembly of said longitudianl and transverse partition plates and said protruding ends of said longitudinal side plates of said inner member are fastened to the outer ends of said transverse side boards of said outer member.

2. The casing according to claim 1, wherein the resin comprising said inner member is foamed.-

3. The casing according to claim 1, wherein the inner body only of said inner member is foamed, and the surface thereof is not foamed.

4. The casing according to claim 1, wherein the bottom portions of said longitudinal and transverse partition plates are notched.

5. The casing according to claim 1, wherein said transverse side boards are provided with means for grasping the same with ones hands.

6. The casing according to claim 5, wherein said grasping means comprise openings extending through said transverse side boards. 

1. A casing adapted to accommodate and transport bottles comprising: an outer member of wood having at least one bottom plate and a pair of upright transverse side boards fastened to the opposite ends of said at least one bottom plate; an inner member of a synthetic resin having a pair of spaced apart longitudinal side plates and a plurality of longitudinal and transverse partition plates interposed between said side plates, said longitudinal side plates and said longitudinal and transverse partition plates intersecting each other at substantially right angles and being formed as an integral structure to define therebetween a plurality of openings for accommodating said bottles; and said inner and outer members being fastened togetheR such that the assembly of said longitudinal and transverse partition plates of said inner member is received between said transverse side boards of said outer member; and wherein the opposite ends of said longitudinal side plates protrude beyond the assembly of said longitudianl and transverse partition plates and said protruding ends of said longitudinal side plates of said inner member are fastened to the outer ends of said transverse side boards of said outer member.
 2. The casing according to claim 1, wherein the resin comprising said inner member is foamed.
 3. The casing according to claim 1, wherein the inner body only of said inner member is foamed, and the surface thereof is not foamed.
 4. The casing according to claim 1, wherein the bottom portions of said longitudinal and transverse partition plates are notched.
 5. The casing according to claim 1, wherein said transverse side boards are provided with means for grasping the same with one''s hands.
 6. The casing according to claim 5, wherein said grasping means comprise openings extending through said transverse side boards. 